CONDITIONS TO BE OBSERVED BY HIRERS

OF ROOMS WITHIN THE CHURCH

• No tenancy: The use of the Premises is non-exclusive (other users may be in other parts of the building at the same time). This agreement only licenses the use of the Designated Rooms of the Premises by the named Hirer, and strictly does not purport to create a legal lease or a landlord/tenant relationship. The Church reserves the right to require the Hirer to use such other rooms within the Premises as the Church may in its absolute discretion from time to time designate.

• Ethical code: No activity that may be considered dangerous, immoral, illegal or a nuisance to others may take place on the Premises. No spiritual/religious activity that is not in keeping with a Christian ethos is allowed on the premises.

• Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection: Hirers must either agree to comply with the Church’s Child Protection Policy and/or Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy where those groups will be present, or have in place their own written policy available for inspection. The Church’s policy is available on request.

• Public Liability: Hirers must have their own public liability insurance to cover their event.

• Security: All lights must be switched off, windows closed and doors closed (and locked/bolted where appropriate) when the Premises are vacated; please check them carefully. The Hirer shall leave the premises in a clean and tidy condition at the end of each period of hiring.

• Damages: The Hirer shall be responsible for any damages caused to the Premises, their fixtures, fittings & furnishings and for the behavior of persons invited onto the Premises by the Hirer. Any damage caused to the premises, furniture, fittings, grounds or other church property shall be made good by or the costs paid by the Hirer. The Church shall be the sole judge of the damage and of the cost of repair or replacement.

• Kitchen: If the use of the kitchen is required, it must be booked beforehand subject to an additional charge. The sole use of the kitchen cannot be arranged. The kitchen and cooking equipment must be left clean and tidy. ALL BOTTLES, TINS AND REFUSE MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE PREMISES BY THE HIRER and not placed in the church waste bins or left at the church.

• Keys: Where the Hirer is issued with keys to the rooms specified in this agreement, those keys must not be copied or passed around without the express permission of the Secretary, and remain the property of the Church. Where keys are issued, they must be returned to the Secretary on demand and in any case as soon as is reasonably possible on completion of the letting. The Hirer will be charged in full for the cost of replacing locks and cutting sufficient keys if they cause or permit any key to the Premises to be duplicated.

• Personnel property: The Hirer shall be responsible for all insurance in respect of the use of the premises both as regards property and persons. The Church accepts no responsibility for any property brought on to the premises by the hirer.

• SMOKING IS NOT PERMITTED ON THE PREMISES, The Church is required by law to operate a strict 'No Smoking' policy. Hirers & their guests are to respect this. The Church reserves the right to withhold the deposit if any trace of smoking is found.

• Law: Nothing shall be done on, or in relation to, church premises in contravention of the law relating to betting, gaming & lotteries.

• Animals: Except in the case of trained assistance dogs, no animals shall be permitted on church premises .

• Health & Safety: The Hirer shall comply with all statutory requirements with regard to Health and Safety in all aspects of their activities.

• Alcohol: Only small quantities of alcohol for personal consumption are allowed. This is allowed in the Alexandra Hall only. No alcohol is to be consumed in any other area, no alcohol is to be sold in any area of the church or its grounds. 

• Music: The playing of music or the reproduction thereof by any means, which would interfere with meetings in any other part of the church premises or cause annoyance to nearby residents or passers-by, is not permitted.

• Copyright: No copyright work shall be performed without the license where appropriate of the holder of the copyright. The hirer shall indemnify the church against any infringement of copyright, which may occur during the letting.

• Electrical: No additional lights or extensions from the existing lights or any electrical equipment shall be used without the permission of the Lettings Secretary.

• Decorations: No decorations, pictures, notices or the like shall be affixed to any part of the premises. On no account shall inflammable, dangerous or noxious materials be used for decoration or any other purpose.

• Advertisements: No advertisement or notice shall be displayed without the consent of the Lettings Secretary, and only then on a Notice Board or area specifically designated for the use of the hirer.

• Supervision: The Hirer shall be responsible for the efficient supervision of the premises including the effective control of children and the orderly and safe admission and departure of persons to and from the premises. 

• Fire Doors: The Hirer shall be responsible during the hiring for the safety of the premises and the preservation of good order and decency therein. Fire exit doors to and from the premises must be kept unfastened unobstructed and immediately available for exit during the whole time the premises are in use and no obstruction shall be placed or allowed to remain in any corridor, pathway or driveway giving access to the building. THE HIRER SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT THERE IS NO TELEPHONE LINE IN THE CHURCH.

• Car Parking: Those attending any function should note there is no church car park. However cars attending any function and parking in the streets surrounding the church shall not cause any obstruction to any driveway or other such access and be in accordance with all local parking restrictions.

• Access: The Church in the person of the Minister, the Lettings Secretary or their authorised representative reserve the right to refuse admission and reserve the right of access to the premises at all times.

• Sessions: Sessions are booked at an hourly rate and THE PERIOD BOOKED MUST INCLUDE THE TIME-NEEDED FOR SETTING UP AND CLEARING AWAY. The premises must be vacated no later than the time booked on penalty of incurring a further fee.

• Fees: The fee for single hiring is due when the booking is confirmed by the return of the attached booking form, duly signed by the Hirer, to the lettings secretary. In the case of multiple bookings, a monthly account will be rendered. Cheques should be made payable to the CHARLTON UNITED REFORMED CHURCH: when a receipt is required; a stamped, self-addressed envelope must be enclosed.

• Website: Where the user has a webpage and or email address on urccharlton.org the church do not accept any responsibility for errors, the user must also notify the church secretary of any errors or any changes required to the information on the web site.

• Refunds: The booking fee will not be refunded for any hiring which is cancelled within twenty-one days of the due date. Multiple bookings may be cancelled subject to notice of one calendar month being given on either side.

• Right to Cancel: In the case of these conditions being disregarded or the premises being unavailable due to circumstances beyond their control. The church, in the person of the minister, the Lettings Secretary or their authorised representative reserves the right to cancel any booking without notice.

• Deposit: The Deposit specified in the agreement is required in advance in cash or cleared funds. This will be returned upon satisfactory inspection of the Premises. If the condition is not satisfactory, a deduction may be made to cover the cost of cleaning and/or breakage’s. Furthermore the Hirer agrees to indemnify the Church against the full costs arising from negligence or deliberate act that results in damage to the Premises or property stored on the Premises or that requires additional cleaning whether or not a deposit has been paid and regardless of whether the deposit covers the liability in full. Where a deposit is required, the booking is strictly provisional until the deposit is paid.

• If any of these conditions are breached, the Church reserves the right to terminate the booking forthwith. For regular or ongoing bookings, the agreement may be terminated by either party giving not less than one months’ notice.

• The toilets in the hall are for normal use and ambulant disabled is a full wheelchair accessible toilet is required this is available at the rear of the church please enquire advise at the time of booking.

Room Hire Agreement

Rooms which may be used: Alexandra Hall, Lower Hall, St Andrews Room, Youth Room, Storage rooms.          ^{(amend as required)}

Name of Hirer:

Address:

Telephone:

Reason For Hire: 

Date(s) of Hire: 

Cost: £

Deposit Required: £

The signature below agrees to the hire conditions and payment terms as set out in the lettings policy attached.

I agree to these terms and to the conditions for hiring set out overleaf. I understand that if these terms and conditions are breached, the period of hire may be terminated immediately and without refund of any deposit paid and without prejudice to any further claim the Church may make against the Hirer                  

This hiring is on behalf of: Name of ………………………………………………………………….

Organisation: …………………………………………………………………………………………………..…..…(if applicable)

Address of Hirer …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Signed by Hirer ………………………………………………………… Date ……………………………….

Where the signatory is acting on behalf of an organisation, state the capacity in which you are authorised to sign on their behalf:………………………………………………………

whose authority I have to bind them by signing this application on their behalf.

Revised 9th April 2008